Elite athlete for the position, Cooper has the best knee bend, balance and footwork I've seen from a Guard in the past few seasons. It's a thing of beauty watching him on the move locking onto targets in space. He's the Tyron Smith of interior lineman. While I'd love for one of those A&M Tackles to fall to us, I'd be just as happy landing Cooper... one of the true Blue-chip O-Lineman in this class.

2. Tony Jefferson | S | Oklahoma

There are some very good safety prospects in this draft, but with how Rob likes to use multiple looks I think an interchangable, versatile safety like Jefferson is the one we'll be zeroing in on. Jefferson uses his top-flight reaction skills to create splash plays week in and week out for the Oklahoma Defense.

3. Deandre Coleman | DE | California

Albeit quietly, Cal has a track record of producing quality NFL defensive lineman and Coleman is next up. A prototype 5-Technique at 6'5 309, he uses his long arms and powerful punch to keep blockers at bay. He's flying under the radar right now, but like Michael Brockers last year... lineman that big and that talented don't grow on trees. It's only a matter of time before you start hearing his name being used more frequently in draft circles.

4. Darius Slay | CB | Mississippi St.

While Jonathan Banks gets most of the attention for Mississippi's stellar secondary, Slay has been a steady compliment on the opposite side of the field. A highly touted JUCO transfer, Slay uses his 6-1 frame to bully receivers... and when QBs have tested him, he's made them pay with 5 INTs on the year.

1st RD Dion Jordan OLB, Oregon The scouting dept. track record means that we probably won't see an offensive lineman in the first round. If anything Jerry may attempt to trade down or out of the first round to maximize his options later in the draft. If the team stands pat I really like Jordan as an option to succeed Spencer, who might price himself out of Big D. A former prep tight end who is fluid and has experience dropping into coverage. He is still learning the position and will need some time to fill his body out but has good natural instincts to go with rare length for the position. He is a natural fit on the strong side as someone who can shadow tightends in coverage as he continues to refine his pass rush skills. At 6'6 his length alone will show dividends when his able to get his hands up and clog passing lanes.

2nd RD Barrett Jones C, Alabama Ultimately I don't see major additions to the o-line in free agency. I expect Tyron and Livings to stay put on the left side, while Free or Parnell will man RT. That leaves the Center and RG position in flux. Jones may not be elite is any specific area but his knowledge and versatility make his the RKG that JG covets. Barrett can come in and challenge immediately and push Costa/ Big Mac for a starting position say one. At 6'5 302 he has plenty of room to add 10-15 pounds of good weight to his frame to become more of an anchor.

3rd Rd Cobi Hamilton WR, Arkansas Miles is starting to fall apart, even when he was on the field this year it seemed like he was missing a gear. It is time to stop worrying about the slot and begin developing a future starter. Austin is more then capable of kicking inside in three wr sets while Hamilton grows into the position. Hamilton is a perfect fit for JG's system, at 6'3 210 he can go up and get the ball when matched in man coverage. He needs to smooth out his routes but comes from a pro system and should understand terminology and scheme faster then a WR transitioning from the spread.

4th RD Tyrann Mathieu CB/S, LSU Not a JG guy right? He has the right intangibles on the field, simply has an addiction to the Mary J. I think his talent/ draft value will cause Jerry to override Garrett and add a turnover machine for Rob to play with. He may not have a specified role but can sub in defensive packages and help on special teams right away.

1st RD Dion Jordan OLB, Oregon The scouting dept. track record means that we probably won't see an offensive lineman in the first round. If anything Jerry may attempt to trade down or out of the first round to maximize his options later in the draft. If the team stands pat I really like Jordan as an option to succeed Spencer, who might price himself out of Big D. A former prep tight end who is fluid and has experience dropping into coverage. He is still learning the position and will need some time to fill his body out but has good natural instincts to go with rare length for the position. He is a natural fit on the strong side as someone who can shadow tightends in coverage as he continues to refine his pass rush skills. At 6'6 his length alone will show dividends when his able to get his hands up and clog passing lanes.

2nd RD Barrett Jones C, Alabama Ultimately I don't see major additions to the o-line in free agency. I expect Tyron and Livings to stay put on the left side, while Free or Parnell will man RT. That leaves the Center and RG position in flux. Jones may not be elite is any specific area but his knowledge and versatility make his the RKG that JG covets. Barrett can come in and challenge immediately and push Costa/ Big Mac for a starting position say one. At 6'5 302 he has plenty of room to add 10-15 pounds of good weight to his frame to become more of an anchor.

3rd Rd Cobi Hamilton WR, Arkansas Miles is starting to fall apart, even when he was on the field this year it seemed like he was missing a gear. It is time to stop worrying about the slot and begin developing a future starter. Austin is more then capable of kicking inside in three wr sets while Hamilton grows into the position. Hamilton is a perfect fit for JG's system, at 6'3 210 he can go up and get the ball when matched in man coverage. He needs to smooth out his routes but comes from a pro system and should understand terminology and scheme faster then a WR transitioning from the spread.

4th RD Tyrann Mathieu CB/S, LSU Not a JG guy right? He has the right intangibles on the field, simply has an addiction to the Mary J. I think his talent/ draft value will cause Jerry to override Garrett and add a turnover machine for Rob to play with. He may not have a specified role but can sub in defensive packages and help on special teams right away.

to be continued....

substitute larry worford for barrett jones and thats a really good draft

substitute larry worford for barrett jones and thats a really good draft

Eh, I don't really buy that one. Barrett Jones as positional flexibility which we have been shown to love. He's also much lighter on his feet and doesn't have the nagging weight issues to go with it.

I like Warford and he performed well against the likes of Richardson and Floyd but I don't like his fit.

The pick I don't see happening is Mathieu. I'm not even sure he gets drafted after his latest arrest. I'm not even sure the Bengals would risk drafting him let alone a HC who has made it a priority in every draft to go for team captains, community servants, etc. Mathieu is more likely to be incarcerated than on someone's 53 in September.

Projecting in this scenario we continue to perform poorly and end up 6-10 and a top 10 pick. In this scenario we will be trading back to the 16-20 range and gaining an additional 2nd.

1) Jonathan Cooper, G, UNC
The trade down sees Reid, Warmock, and Matthews come off the board before our pick and the debate in the room is between Cooper, whom I regard as a higher potential prospect than Warmock, and Eric Fisher. The emergence, and continued development, of Jeremy Parnell allows Dallas to lock onto the phenomenal big man from UNC.

Tape versus VT. Shows ability to dominate in a phone booth, pull and effectively seal, and recognize stunts. Complete package here. Honestly would have to think hard between Warmock and him if he came down to it I might lean Cooper.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4S5bcc0HQ0[/media]

2) Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
His athletic talents are undeniable. He plays with a reckless abandon that both makes you sit in awe but also shake your head at times. Ability to man up in the slot as well as play press and is an excellent blitzer. The underachieving Texas defense hides some of his skill-set and his ability to do a number of things will really shine in Rob's scheme.

Has the hands of a WR and can deliver the big hit. My favorite safety prospect in the draft this year.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScLY4PTo83I[/media]

2nd (From Trade): Margus Hunt, DL, SMU
Bit of a shock pick but potential returns on this pick would be off the charts. Athletic freak and able to play a variety of positions in our defense. This pick would complete the transition away from the "Marcus Spears" mold of our 3-4 DEs and into our recent history of Lissemore, Crawford, etc. Most likely this pick pushes the old vets off the roster and the injection of youth will be complete. Hunt could easily develop into a more devasting Justin Smith in our defense. *Note* Adding a player like Hunt on the strong side paired with an exceptional run defender in Spencer allows Rob to do a number of things.

3rd: Travis Frederick, G/C, Wisconsin
Stout, cannot be bull rushed, positional flexibility. He'll slip a bit thanks to players like Jerel Worthy who last year exposed his weakness to quick, gap rushers, as well as performing poorly when asked to seal the edge against quicker players. Also a bit heavy to play at Center, currently 338 lbs, but had played around 325 the rest of his career so it should not be an issue.

Couldn't find individual game type but he plays LG here.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsZFwXUgoAo[/media]

4th: Ray Graham, RB, Pittsburgh
Shifty, athletic, dynamic in space. Excellent vision. Essentially he's Felix Jones that is willing to pound it inside but is fully capable of bouncing it outside for a big gain. Exceptional hands out of the backfield which should compliment our offense nicely. Is blocking and blitz pickup needs work. A weak RB class this year will most likely push him out of this range but still seeing him projected here.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfHd112U2nY[/media]

5th: Conner Vernon, WR, Duke
Fits our speed/height build we have leaned towards and is a dynamic threat with excellent hands. Body control is phenomenal. The song in the background is atrocious but a lot of the plays remind me of things Miles Austin does for us.

6th: Alex Carder, QB, Western Michigan
Development QB time again. Strong armed, shows a lot of touch, quick feet to avoid rushers. Major gunslinger and way too confident in his arm at times. Struggled at times in reading a defense but other times reads the zone perfectly for the big play. His major flaw at this stage is poor decision making versus the blitz fixing that and he is one heck of a prospect for a 6th rounder.

Is not afraid of getting hit to make the perfect throw. 2:30s on the video below. Entire thing highlights him as a prospect. Can make all the throws but has questionable decision-making.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kGlO0EDQO0[/media]

7th:Mark Jackson, OT, Glenville State
Ball of clay. Massive frame and a brutal run blocker, albeit against D-II competition. Originally offered scholarships to Illinois, WVU, Michigan, and Michigan State but eventually transferred from Illinois prior to the start of his career (no additional info found). Watched a video of him from 2010 and he has to be one of the most surprisingly nimble 330 lb OT I have seen.

Monster fish in a tiny pond. Play #1 he launches the opposition in the air when he attacked him in blocking. Scary.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8NTcc0Va20[/media.]

Had some extra time and decided to toss a full offseason and roster. :)

The pick I don't see happening is Mathieu. I'm not even sure he gets drafted after his latest arrest. I'm not even sure the Bengals would risk drafting him let alone a HC who has made it a priority in every draft to go for team captains, community servants, etc. Mathieu is more likely to be incarcerated than on someone's 53 in September.

Someone is going to take a swing in the mid rounds if he declares. He was booted off of the team for failed drug test... arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Are they smart moves? No, but he isn't a bad kid and someone will gamble that they can contain and treat his addiction. You're absolutely right that it probably won't be us though. I just wanted to mix it up a bit and get some discussion on the board.

I agree that if we stink up the joint that a trade down is certainly in play, although it would be interesting to see what is still on the board when we pick. Cooper would be an awesome pick if the team decides to go for a lineman in the first round, I'd take Cooper + 2nd > Warmack 10 out of 10 times.

-Signing Church to a sizable extension and Sensy under contract sways the team away from Vaccaro imo although I'd enjoy the pick myself.

-Hunt is someone I mentioned in previous mocks who has huge boom or bust potential. I have a feeling that he is going to blow up the combine and will be on the rise come draft time.

-If Frederick manages to slip into the third round and Callahan doesn't convince Jerry to pull the trigger I might just cry. I don't see him slipping out of the 2nd round and might even sneak into the late 1st. Better prospect then Zeitler who was drafted in the first round last year imo.

-If Frederick manages to slip into the third round and Callahan doesn't convince Jerry to pull the trigger I might just cry. I don't see him slipping out of the 2nd round and might even sneak into the late 1st. Better prospect then Zeitler who was drafted in the first round last year imo.

why so much love for frederick i just watched film of film vs ohio state, he stout but doesn't have much power to move guys at the point of attack in the run game and he falls off blocks alot. that play at 6:15 is embarrasing

he'd be good in heavy zone system like houston or washington though but imo we need guards with more power than him or at least one of them

If Jermey Parnell can work out for us, that would be a huge cost savings boost for us. We could dump Free, and use that money to resign Spencer. Then in the first round we could bypass RT and really start to address the meat of our problems. Bernadeau was a flop at RG and is starting to show signs of being a capable backup C. He's really just a depth guy, imo. The fact that we have to call upon Dockery is just sad. So there is a real need for us to find a great RG. Warmack is a sure thing. I couldn't say that about DeCosta last year, but I have high confidence in Warmack not becoming a bust in the NFL. In fact some think he's the best overall OL prospect in the draft. He's a powerful roadgrader and our team needs him badly.

Round 2. Barrett Jones - C - Alabama - 6'4, 305

Smarts is one of the most critical things I look for in a Center. When it comes to intelligence, nobody bests Barrett Jones who is an All-Academic 4.0 student and sports a high football IQ. The importance of the position to the QB makes C arguably the most important position on the OL. You want someone you can trust calling the o-line plays and I know in Romo's case, he HATES pressure up the midddle more than pressue from the edges, so upgrading Center once and for all would arguably be the best upgrade we can make for our offense. Jones is great on his feet and can move too. Same cannot be said for Travis Frederick who will project to OG in the NFL because of his limitations moving laterally. Kiper has knocked Barrett recently for having short arms and calls him a 3rd/4th round guy, but I don't see him falling that far (http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/in...o_be_dra.html). Best part about this is getting Barrett Jones next to Chance Warmack. We talk about OL cohesiveness and THIS is exactly the kind of move we need to make to jump start their effectiveness on the next level.

Randle should probably stay back another year if he wants a shot at a higher pick, but if he declares, I'd say late 2nd to 3rd round is about his ceiling and floor. Hard to tell though because RBs tend to fall in the draft as the position has devalued. He's similar to Demarco in that he's got that great one cut vision and acceleration to get upfield fast. He's also similar in that he's a good receiver and a very good pass blocker. All of those things turned the Cowboys onto Murray and I think they would be turned onto Randle likewise. He's not as big as Murray and a little too lean for my liking...doesn't break a lot of tackles either, but I think the value is fair here. All of the RBs are kind of bunched up... Monte Ball (a lil bit higher, imo), Stepfan Taylor, Mike Gillislee, Christine Michael, Ray Graham, Jonathan Franklin and Kenjon Barner could be our choice here. I just chose Randle to be a little different this time.

Round 4. Phillip Thomas - S - Fresno St. - 6'1, 215

Another versatile Safety who can play either S position, but his best skill is his ballhawking ability. He's been ballin' this year. Leads the nation with 8 interceptions and 3 pick 6s. Watch him play and it's obvious why. He sticks on his man, has great instincts, great closing speed, stretchy arms, and catches like a WR. His hips are awesome and this guy might rise up the draft boards. He's a good wrap up tackler, not afraid to come up in run support and can be used to blitz. Rob would LOVE to have this guy and open up more of his defense.... aka MOAR BLITZING.

Let me make this one point. I was disappointed in Jones when I watched him against A&M. Spencer Neely ate him up all day long. I actually think the C for A&M, Patrick Lewis, is very underrated. The tackles get lots of attention for A&M, for good reason, but Lewis has been a rock for them in the middle. You could probably get him in the 4th or 5th.

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In war, you win or lose, live or die - and the difference is just an eyelash.

Cowboys trade from 15 to 19 and pick up third round pickup (and its fits trade value chart)

Round 1
1. Chance Warmack OG Alabama - he's a big time guard but he still is a guard and those slip further than what they should on draft day. JJ is stubborn about Free as he was with Roy Williams and won't opt to replace him yet.

Round 2
2. Tony Jefferson S Oklahoma - He has great instincts and maybe he'll be what Roy L. Williams was not.

Round 3
3. Marquess Wilson WR - We really need recivers and after taking some low risk guys earlier Jerry takes a chance on a talented reciever with some baggage.

4. Dri Archer RB/WR Kent State - If you haven't heard about this guy go watch his game against Bowling Green. He could the second coming of Percy Harvin or he could Noel Devine but we need a guy is explosive and unlike most other change of pace RB this guy has alot of experience play the slot receiver.

Round 4
5. Levine Toilolo TE Stanford - Similar player to Martellus Bennett. He has great size and is excellent blocker. He is not overly quick or sudden but has deceptive long speed to stretch the seam and would be a great red zone weapon. Being the 3rd TE with Luck and #2 TE with a freshman QB hurt his production and he has some injury concerns with a torn ACL in 2010. Put has some upside.

Compensatory Pick from Mike Jenkins
6. Tharold Simon CB LSU - With Jenkins gone, CB depth is a need and he has alot of experience in big games and fits the bill as a big corner who can play outside if someone gets hurt.

Round 5
7. Joe Kruger DE Utah - 6-7 270 long arms and room to add more bulk. Has all the makings of the 3-4 end and this probably pushes Spears of the roster.

Round 6
8. Mark Jackson OT Glenville State - Big body with really good feet but extremely raw. Might be the right tackle of the future if he develops.

Let me make this one point. I was disappointed in Jones when I watched him against A&M. Spencer Neely ate him up all day long. I actually think the C for A&M, Patrick Lewis, is very underrated. The tackles get lots of attention for A&M, for good reason, but Lewis has been a rock for them in the middle. You could probably get him in the 4th or 5th.

having chance warmack next to him makes him look better than what he really is imo.

Compensatory Pick from Mike Jenkins
6. Tharold Simon CB LSU - With Jenkins gone, CB depth is a need and he has alot of experience in big games and fits the bill as a big corner who can play outside if someone gets hurt.

IF we will get a compensatory pick for Jenkins, it would come in 2014.

The Archer kid is on my radar too... I saw him live at the Rutgers game and it was like he played at a completely different speed. That is saying something considering how quick the that defense is as a whole. His speed alone opened things up inside for their power back, which lead to easy sledding for most of the game.

Part of the formula is based on how many free agents you sign vs how many you lost. We signed Carr, Connor, Bernadeau, Livings, Vickers, and Orton. Another part is how much the players you lost signed for. I don't expect us to get any supplemental picks this year.

formula based on the player's salary, playing time, and postseason honors with his new team, with salary being the primary factor.

I think we'll target another athletic NT/DE. Lissemore has done well and he's in the same mold as Ratliff in the middle. I don't think we'll be making a full switch to having a 2-gapping meat mountain in the middle of our line. Even when we put Brent in there we weren't asking him to occupy the middle of the line and sit.

I don't see Jesse having much value to us due to being more of a "space-eater" than a dynamic man in the middle. Nix is certainly an option as is Hankins if we are looking early.

I would rather target a middle round guy as I don't see us moving full-time away from Ratliff until the following season. Someone like Mister Cobble (Kentucky), Larry Black, Jr (IU), sleeper knucklehead pick would be Montori Hughes (Tennessee-Martin) who was an elite Tennessee prospect who missed his freshman year due to academic issues and then was dismissed from the team for a "dorm room incident".

I would love someone like Warmack, but I really, really want Eric Reid. We need a field general back there. A guy who can see the entire field with sideline to sideline range, and clean up a lot of the mess. It lets you get more aggressive with your CB's in press man to man and results in more turnovers.

I know what the interior of our line looks like, but thinking off the top of my head, if we start Parnell at RT, sign an elite Guard(if there is one), draft another G/C in the 2nd round, I'd be ok with taking Reid in the 1st. He's an exceptional safety with great intangibles and would make our entire defensive unit better. G/C prospects are always there in rounds 2-4 to come in as starters.

We could go Guard and Center back to back in rounds 2 and 3.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Wright

I guarantee that if someone picks Cam Newton in the Top 5 they will regret it.